This invention relates to a primate containment cage, and more particularly to a cage for preventing a primate from free movement during the performance of an experimental procedure.
In order to improve or develop new drugs or medicine for the diagnosis or curing of human disease, it is necessary to first examine the effects the medicine on animal models such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, rabbits and non-human primates.
As non-human primates (hereinafter referred to as "monkeys") are physiologically similar to humans, it is generally recognized that the effects of a test article on non-human primates can be judged as potential effects on humans. In order to obtain useful and applicable data from these experiments it is important to minimize the stress on the animal and to insure the accurate administration of the dosage involved.
To administer a test article to monkeys by way of oral, intranasal or intravenous injection, to collect blood, or to externally examine organs, for example, pupil and the like, it is imperative to restrain the monkey and to limit its movement so as to allow for accurate examinations and test article administration.
The monkey involved in such procedures, however, usually will not stay still during the experimentation. Furthermore, it is possible that the monkey may become so excited as to become violent, resulting in any injury risk to both the animal and the experimenter.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a primate containment cage for preventing the monkey from movement that may adversely impact the efficacy of the experiment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a containment cage which provides for the complete safety of both monkey and the experimenter as well as reducing the animal's level of stress.